Jun
11,
2021
It’s not often that a new artist catches our attention but jav3x (pronounced jaah-vecks) aka Renald Joseph Benedicto has us tuning in!
This week, jav3x dropped a collaboration with artist Mokita – a remix of Mokita’s melancholy hit Sleepwalking. The track maintains the original essence but invigorates the song with a sense of fun and excitement that makes it feel anew. This led us down the soundcloud rabbit hole where we fell in love with his latest original, independent release “Die Young.”
Going back further there is a gap… jav3x is basically mia until about four years prior, but his early stuff which he put out starting at age 12 (yes, you read that right) is just as unique. We had to find out where this artist has been hiding and what’s brought him back with such a force.
Tell us your story! Where did you grow up and how did you find your love for music?
I was born and raised in Mississauga, a city near Toronto, Canada. My parents both played different types of music, so I was always surrounded by music. My father used to sing and play the guitar to a lot of 70s rock oldies when I was a kid. The tipping point came when I went to my grandmother’s house for the summer. She had a small Casio digital piano that I used to play all the time, trying to imitate various songs by ear. That is when I knew that I could excel in the world of music
Who are some of your musical influences and how did you get your start?
Throughout my childhood, I’ve always had a deep affinity for music. I was first introduced to electronic music when I was 12 years old, thanks to artists like Daft Punk and deadmau5. After seeing deadmau5’s livestream, I was inspired to make my own music in the hopes of motivating others to do the same.
I began my professional career doing only progressive house for four years. There were a lot of bumps in the road that I didn’t recognize. I took a break from the industry to rediscover myself and my style, and then transitioned from making progressive house to a broader range of music through Pop EDM.
How did this collaboration with Mokita come about?
I was fortunate enough to get discovered by a manager within the first two months of my new style. He brought me the opportunity to work with Mokita and release an official remix of Mokita’s “Sleepwalking” after he was drawn to my work. After years of doing music, he became my first mainstream connection in the industry, and the transition took only two months.
What’s up next for you?
My new single “Broken Wings” will be released on all streaming platforms on June 25th and I’m currently working on a number of original songs that I hope to release later this year, collaborating with some incredible vocalists.
I plan to release an EP of my own shortly, and through this body of work, I hope to really define what “jav3x” means.
You started at such a young age. Any tips for other youth artists getting their start?
Make music that’s true to yourself. If you’re creating music in the hopes of “making it” in the industry, you won’t be unique. Pursuing something that isn’t you will leave you exhausted.
Follow @jav3x on Instagram and @jav3xmusic on all other platforms!
